AoPS Community 1975 AMC 12/AHSME

AMC 12/AHSME 1975

[Link]/community/c4839
by ernie, dft, rrusczyk

1
1 The value of 1 is
2− 2− 1
2− 1
2
(A) 3/4 (B) 4/5 (C) 5/6 (D) 6/7 (E) 6/5

2 For which real values of m are the simultaneous equations

y = mx + 3
y = (2m − 1)x + 4

satisfied by at least one pair of real numbers (x, y)?

(A) all m (B) all m ̸= 0 (C) all m ̸= 1/2 (D) all m ̸= 1 (E) no values of m

3 Which of the following inequalities are satisfied for all real numbers a, b, c, x, y, z which satisfy
the conditions x < a, y < b, and z < c?
I. xy + yz + zx < ab + bc + ca II. x2 + y 2 + z 2 < a2 + b2 + c2 III. xyz < abc
(A) None are satisfied. (B) I only (C) II only (D) III only (E) All are satisfied.

4 If the side of one square is the diagonal of a second square, what is the ratio of the area of the
first square to√the area of the second? √
(A) 2 (B) 2 (C) 1/2 (D) 2 2 (E) 4

5 The polynomial (x + y)9 is expanded in decreasing powers of x. The second and third terms
have equal values when evaluated at x = p and y = q, where p and q are positive numbers
whose sum is one. What is the value of p?
(A) 1/5 (B) 4/5 (C) 1/4 (D) 3/4 (E) 8/9

6 The sum of the first eighty positive odd integers subtracted from the sum of the first eighty
positive even integers is
(A) 0 (B) 20 (C) 40 (D) 60 (E) 80

7 For which non-zero real numbers x is |x−|x||

x a positive integers?
(A) for negative x only (B) for positive x only (C) only for x an even integer (D) for all non-zero
(E) for no non-zero real numbers x

8 If the statement ”All shirts in this store are on sale.” is false, then which of the following state-
ments must be true?

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AoPS Community 1975 AMC 12/AHSME

I. All shirts in this store are at non-sale prices.

II. There is some shirt in this store not on sale.
III. No shirt in this store is on sale.
IV. Not all shirts in this store are on sale.
(A) II only (B) IV only (C) I and III only (D) II and IV only (E) I, II and IV only

9 Let a1 , a2 , ... and b1 , b2 , ... be arithmetic progressions such that a1 = 25, b1 = 75, and a100 +b100 =
100. Find the sum of the first hundred terms of the progression a1 + b1 , a2 + b2 , ...
(A) 0 (B) 100 (C) 10, 000 (D) 505, 000 (E) not enough information given to solve the problem

2
10 The sum of the digits in base ten of (104n +8 + 1)2 , where n is a positive integer, is
(A) 4 (B) 4n (C) 2 + 2n (D) 4n2 (E) n2 + n + 2

11 Let P be an interior point of circle K other than the center of K. Form all chords of K which
pass through P , and determine their midpoints. The locus of these midpoints is
(A) a circle with one point deleted (B) a circle if the distance from P to the center of K is less than
one half the radius of K; otherwise a circular arc of less than 360◦ (C) a semicircle with one point dele
(D) a semicircle (E) a circle

12 If a ̸= b, a3 − b3 = 19x3 , and a − b = x, which of the following conclusions is correct?

(A) a = 3x (B) a = 3x or a = −2x (C) a = −3x or a = 2x (D) a = 3x or a =
2x (E) a = 2x

13 The equation x6 − 3x5 − 6x3 − x + 8 has

(A) no real roots (B) exactly two distinct negative roots (C) exactly one negative root
(D) no negative roots, but at least one positive root (E) none of these

14 If the whatsis is so when the whosis is is and the so and so is is · so, what is the whosis · whatsis
when the whosis is so, the so and so is so · so and the is is two (whatsis, whosis, is and so are
variables taking positive values)?
(A) whosis · is · so (B) whosis (C) is (D) so (E) so and so

15 In the sequence of numbers 1, 3, 2, ... each term after the first two is equal to the term preceding
it minus the term preceding that. The sum of the first one hundred terms of the sequence is
(A) 5 (B) 4 (C) 2 (D) 1 (E) − 1

16 If the first term of an infinite geometric series is a positive integer, the common ratio is the
reciprocal of a positive integer, and the sum of the series is 3, then the sum of the first two
terms of the series is
(A) 1/3 (B) 2/3 (C) 8/3 (D) 2 (E) 9/2

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AoPS Community 1975 AMC 12/AHSME

17 A man can commute either by train or by bus. If he goes to work on the train in the morning, he
comes home on the bus in the afternoon; and if he comes home in the afternoon on the train,
he took the bus in the morning. During a total of x working days, the man took the bus to work
in the morning 8 times, came home by bus in the afternoon 15 times, and commuted by train
(either morning or afternoon) 9 times. Find x.
(A) 19 (B) 18 (C) 17 (D) 16 (E) not enough information given to solve the problem

18 A positive integer N with three digits in its base ten representation is chosen at random, with
each three digit number having an equal chance of being chosen. The probability that log2 N is
an integer is
(A) 0 (B) 3/899 (C) 1/225 (D) 1/300 (E) 1/450

19 Which positive numbers x satisfy the equation (log3 x)(logx 5) = log3 5?

(A) 3 and 5 only (B) 3, 5, and 15 only (C) only numbers of the form 5n ·3m , where n and m are
positive integers (D) all positive x ̸= 1 (E) none of these

20 In the adjoining figure triangle ABC is such that AB = 4 and AC = 8. If M is the midpoint of
BC and AM = 3, what is the length of BC?
√ √ √
(A) 2 26 (B) 2 31 (C) 9 (D) 4+2 13 (E) not enough information given to solve the problem

B M C

21 Suppose f (x) is defined for all real numbers x; f (x) > 0 for all x, and f (a)f (b) = f (a + b) for all
a and b. Which of the following statements is true?
I. f (0) = 1 II. f (−a) = 1/f (a) for all a III. f (a) = 3 f (3a) for all a IV. f (b) > f (a) if b > a
p

(A) III and IV only (B) I, III, and IV only (C) I, II, and IV only (D) I, II, and III only
(E) All are true.

22 If p and q are primes and x2 − px + q = 0 has distinct positive integral roots, then which of the
following statements are true?
I. The difference of the roots is odd. II. At least one root is prime. III. p2 −q is prime. IV. p+q is prime.
(A) I only (B) II only (C) II and III only (D) I, II and IV only (E) All are true.

23 In the adjoining figure AB and BC are adjacent sides of square ABCD; M is the midpoint of
AB; N is the midpoint of BC; and AN and CM intersect at O. The ratio of the area of AOCD
to the area of ABCD is

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AoPS Community 1975 AMC 12/AHSME

D C

N
O

A M B

√ √
5 3 2 3 ( 3−1)
(A) 6 (B) 4 (C) 3 (D) 2 (E) 2

24 In triangle ABC, ∡C = θ and ∡B = 2θ, where 0◦ < θ < 60◦ . The circle with center A and radius
AB intersects AC at D and intersects BC, extended if necessary, at B and at E (E may coincide
with B). Then EC = AD
(A) for no values of θ (B) only if θ = 45◦ (C) only if 0◦ < θ ≤ 45◦
(D) only if 45 ≤ θ < 60
◦ ◦ (E) for all θ such that 0◦ < θ < 60◦

25 A woman, her brother, her son and her daughter are chess players (all relations by birth). The
worst player’s twin (who is one of the four players) and the best player are of opposite sex. The
worst player and the best player are the same age. Who is the worst player?
(A) the woman (B) her son (C) her brother (D) her daughter
(E) No solution is consistent with the given information

26 In acute triangle ABC the bisector of ∡A meets side BC at D. The circle with center B and
radius BD intersects side AB at M ; and the circle with center C and radius CD intersects side
AC at N . Then it is always true that
(A) ∡CN D+∡BM D−∡DAC = 120◦ (B) AM DN is a trapezoid (C) BC is parallel to M N
(D) AM − AN = 3(DB−DC)
2 (E) AB − AC = 3(DB−DC)
2

27 If p, q and r are distinct roots of x3 − x2 + x − 2 = 0, then p3 + q 3 + r3 equals

(A) − 1 (B) 1 (C) 3 (D) 5 (E) none of these

28 In triangle ABC shown in the adjoining figure, M is the midpoint of side BC, AB = 12 and
AC = 16. Points E and F are taken on AC and AB, respectively, and lines EF and AM intersect
at G. If AE = 2AF then EG
GF equals

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AoPS Community 1975 AMC 12/AHSME

C
E
M

G
A F B

(A) 32 (B) 43 (C) 54 (D) 65

(E) not enough information to solve the problem
√ √
29 What is the smallest integer larger than ( 3 + 2)6 ?
(A) 972 (B) 971 (C) 970 (D) 969 (E) 968

30 Let x = cos 36◦ − cos 72◦ . Then x equals

√ √
(A) 13 (B) 12 (C) 3 − 6 (D) 2 3 − 3 (E) none of these

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